about
The Classics Cave
The Cave
The Cave's Mission
Our mission is you! Us. We're in this together. So, join us as we go places—as we read the best of ancient Greek literature and practice what we read.
Why practice? As Crates of Thebes put it, "Long is the path that leads to happiness through words alone. But the path that leads to happiness through daily deeds is short."
So, more than reading alone, let's practice!
Together, let's advance from ignorance to knowledge, from foolishness to wisdom, and from mediocrity or vice to excellence or virtue.
Journey with us to mysterious and strange lands, even as Odysseus did. Or join in the hard work of sustaining and managing life—as the poet-farmer Hesiod advised. Or exit the dark Cave with Socrates into the bright light of the sun, of the good, the true, and the beautiful.
Be excellent! Virtuous! Be a warrior hero or a heroic farmer—or the hero you want to be. A champion motivator. An off-the-charts educator. A loving friend, spouse, parent, or colleague. An excellent man or woman, boy or girl.
The Cave provides time-tested know-how and experienced-based can-do in the form of ancient wisdom and ways. With these you'll have a go-do mindset.
Read with us.
Practice with us.
Be well (better!) with us.
Our Name
Why The Classics Cave?
What's in a name?
Why classics? The classics are that portion of ancient literature that has endured through time because of its ongoing value. As Henry David Thoreau put it, “The oldest and the best books are the treasured wealth of the world and the fit inheritance of generations and nations.”
Why cave? In the ancient world, caves were places of mystery and revelation. For the philosopher Plato, caves were seen as the starting point of education, that arduous process of being “led out” to the bright light of the sun where we begin to “see things more truly.” With education, we move from ignorance to knowledge, foolishness to wisdom, and vice to virtue.
Caves were also used as storage rooms, as when Odysseus stores his treasure in the nymph’s “lovely dark cave” on Ithaca. Wine cellars are still called caves today. They’re where we store particularly valued wines.
Since the classics are like a fine aged wine preserved through time for our enjoyment and education, let’s head down to The Classics Cave and benefit from some of the best literature of the past. There we will encounter brilliant storytelling, observe heroically virtuous exemplars, receive wise counsel, and be encouraged to practice excellence toward a better life. If all goes well, we'll flourish as we are meant to.
Our History
and Experience
Our history Rooted in the long experience of teaching ancient literature, history, and philosophy, The Classics Cave was formed in 2015. Since then we’ve been developing ways to reintroduce ancient authors to our contemporary world. We’re excited now to present their wisdom and ways to you in a variety of ways to read, teach, and practice the classics.
Our experience Moved by wonder and buzzing with curiosity, we at the Cave have been enthralled with ancient literature, history, and philosophy for decades. We have taught the classics for nearly as long, emphasizing their meaning for our lives and the way we can flourish with the aid of their wisdom and ways.
Our Invitation
Join us in reading and practicing ancient Greek literature.
We invite you to read and practice ancient Greek literature.
All to be well (better!).
We do so in the way that the Athenian orator and philosopher Isocrates invited everyone to be Greek. He was not asking people to live in Greece or look Greek but to “participate in Greek culture and education.”
Then there's the oracle that told Zeno of Citium, the founder of Stoicism, "to be in contact with the dead." Zeno realized the oracle meant he should read and "know the ancients."
So, let’s know the ancients, the ancient Greeks. Let’s read and think with them. And most importantly, let’s practice with them in order to flourish.
Our invitation is this:
Read with us.
Practice with us.
Be well (better!) with us.
Testimonials
Listen to what some who have benefited from reading and practicing with the Cave have to say . . .
"I love your books. . . thank you!"—Jeffrey
"Thank you for your wonderful book, The Best of the Cynics. It is the first book I found on the Cynic philosophy or way of life. It is very informative, inspiring, and the layout is awesome."—Fabian
Arete (Excellence or Virtue) is a "very well written look at what excellence meant to various ancient Greeks. Was having trouble putting it down."—Steve
"Hi, I've recently purchased Cave books on the Cynics, Early Stoics, and Arete, all of which are fantastic. . . . Keep up the great work! These are an excellent source of information and wisdom from ancient thinkers, with really well written modern analysis/application."—Rowan
"Hi! Just wanted to say I finished The Best of Epicurus today and loved it. I enjoy the format of presenting all the important concepts in a readable way and encouraging readers to reflect on and apply this to their own lives.—John
"Hello, I just wanted to say thank you! I really love your books! . . . You have really helped me develop myself with your books."—Manuel
"Congratulations! I have a shelf full of books on the Greek Cynics. . . . I would suggest that yours is the best of them. . . . [Yours] stands head and shoulders above the rest."—Len
"Greetings. I love your resources."—Thomas
"The Best of Basil the Great . . . is a wonderful book."—Jim
"Good morning, I would like to tell you of my appreciation of your book, The Best of the Cynics. . . . I found this book online. It is perfect. I am able to grasp the concepts. . . . Thank you so much for your work.—Charles
Arete (Excellence or Virtue) "is an extraordinary exploration of ancient Greek philosophy that profoundly deepened my understanding of the ancient world and its timeless principles. [It is] an indispensable guide for anyone passionate about history, ethics or self-improvement. A must-read for scholars and seekers alike!"—Alex
Testimonies of college students and mentors who have read and practiced with Cave books and other materials "The Cave walked me through the modern connection between ancient Greece and our daily lives."—Clay "The Classics Cave pushed me to develop specific goals and new habits to live better. The Cave breaks down the ideas of the Greeks in a way that is easy to learn from."—Matthew "Everyone should read the classics, and The Classics Cave is a great way to do so."—Justin “The unique perspectives offered by the ancient Greeks caused me to reconsider the very foundation of my beliefs and question many of the virtues I had previously taken for granted. Reading their works allowed me to dive deeper into the meanings of happiness, truth, and love than I ever thought possible, and I am a better man today because of it.”—Matt, Louisiana State University “The ideas presented in Greek literature inspired me to look at life with a new perspective. I learned that even though I am not always in control of every experience in life, I can control how I react to every experience. With this knowledge, I can always attain the best possible outcome.”—Ryan, Mississippi State University “The readings and practices of the ancient Greeks have benefited and inspired me to look inward. After reflection and practice I feel I can move forward while living my best life.”—Matt, Radford University “I benefitted from the ancient Greeks this summer just by learning, reflecting, and discussing the lessons from the text. Something significant that I took away . . . is that everything has a vice and virtue and that life is about balance. I took a philosophy class prior to this and learned about these concepts. However, being able to talk, learn, and reflect in the atmosphere we were in helped me more-so to think about applying these concepts to my own life. Another takeaway is the concept of a wealthy man vs a wealthy soul and soul goods vs currency. I grew up being taught that life isn't about how much you make, it's about how happy you are. But learning about this concept from a different perspective from so long ago really helps it to stick more. There are plenty of other of these life "lessons" or things of that nature that are talked about in western society. However, when in the context of ancient Greek literature, the lessons seem so much more impactful.”—Chris, Missouri State University "Exploring the philosophies of the ancient Greeks helped me to think with more depth and intention about how we choose to exist day-to-day. The concept of arête pushed me to reflect on my personal constitution and has since challenged me to live with more vigor in my word and definition of personal excellence. This has made a profound impact in my life and helps me work toward living a more balanced life with each day."—Max, Montana State “Learning about the Greeks showed me that people have been asking themselves the same questions for thousands of years. The answers to the tough questions we ask ourselves – who we are, why we are here, how we should act – are ongoing discussions. The Greeks provide many potential answers to discuss, compare, and combine into our own personal answers and ways of life.”—Curtis, Colorado School of Mines “In a time when quick access to all things has become the norm, such as news, fast food, and internet connectivity, reading through the Greek philosophies was an excellent reminder to slow down and think how their lessons related to the pursuit of happiness is really what matters most. The pedagogy of blended learning through reading, personal reflection, group discussion, and even audio/visual was an excellent way to understand though multiple lenses what each philosophical approach means.”—Brian “Studying the Greeks was an eye opener for me! They spent so much time on meditating and meaningful discussion on topics without time constraints . . . which I believe led to innovation, creative, and solid solutions for the times.”—Michael
Who we are
What we do
The Classics Cave is an educational* organization centered on the classics of Greek and Roman antiquity, with an emphasis on the best of ancient Greek literature.
Our mission is to shine the light of the past into the present for a brighter life today.
Our goal is practice—the application of ancient wisdom and ways to our contemporary lives.
We publish books, develop and provide online content, organize and do outreach, and produce and distribute a variety of print and other media intended to entertain and educate, inspire, encourage, and cultivate.
Hang out in the Cave to support our mission and to access a growing catalog of engaging books and other beneficial content designed for individuals, educators, groups, and all others interested in benefiting from ancient literature.
*For the Cave, education is that happy transition from ignorance to knowledge; from foolishness to wisdom; and from mediocrity or vice to excellence or virtue, culminating in good habits and character.
Read with us.
Practice with us.
Be well (better!) with us.